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deficiency of peat lands is still being carried on by the Animal Research Division of the Department of Argiculture on an area of about 400 acres on this block. These experiments are yielding valuable results. Further experiments are being carried out by the Soil Fertility Branch on small areas of peat land. On the small dairy unit a herd of 42 cows and replacements produced over 10,000 lb. of butterfat. On account of the experiments, no stock is allowed off this section. PuJceturua (Locality: Putaruru). —Area, 540 acres. Possession date, 14th April, 1946. Subdivision, three mixed farms. Three ex-servicemen have been working on wages this season, and it is expected that the sections will be allotted on fixed charges as at Ist July, 1948. The extremely dry conditions which prevailed in February were responsible for a substantial drop in milk-production. Puriri (Locality : Kaitaia). —Area, 1,403 acres. Possession date, 6th November, 1933. Subdivision not yet finalized. The dry summer of 1947 and a late cold autumn had an adverse effect on the pastures, but the good spring and summer which followed enabled the pastures to make a wonderful recovery. There is now more feed available than has been the case for many years, and the better sward of grass appears to have checked the spread and growth of rushes. In an endeavour to further improve the pastures it is proposed to reduce the number of sheep grazed and replace them with more cattle. The production obtained for the year was satisfactory. Putibi (Locality : Edgecumbe). —Area, 1,326 acres. Possession date, 28th June, 1946. Subdivision, fourteen dairy-farms. Seven share-milkers have been operating over the whole area and butterfat-production was maintained. The new buildings are practically completed and a ballot for the remaining seven sections will be held shortly. Further internal fencing has to be erected, but it is expected that the charges on all sections will be fixed as at Ist July, 1948. Riponui (Locality : Whangarei).—Area, 912 acres. Possession dates, 301 acres on 13th December, 1945, and 611 acres on Ist September, 1947. Subdivision, five dairy-farms. The main work carried out during the year was the erection of one house and one set of farm buildings, drain-construction, and erecting new and repairing old fences. One ex-serviceman employed on wages. Rerewhakaitu (Locality: Eotorua). —Area, 12,067 acres. Possession date, Ist February, 1945. Subdivision not yet planned. Maintenance work was carried out on this area and a good swede crop was obtained from 100 acres. A further 100 acres was brought in from the rough and 50 acres was sown in new grass. A heavy yield of hay was harvested from 250 acres and the surplus transferred to other blocks to assist in wintering dairy heifers. Riverside (Locality: Tangowahine).—Area, 3,967 acres. Possession date, Ist February, 1946. Subdivision not yet finalized. A certain amount of progress has been made in overtaking deferred maintenance work on fences and pastures. Approximately 50 acres of the easy scrub country has been sown in permanent pasture and a further 200 acres is being prepared for grassing. Te TeJco (Locality: Edgecumbe).—Area, 399 acres. Possession date, 31st May, 1946. Subdivision, four dairy-farms. All work was completed on this block and the remaining three sections were allotted on fixed charges in July, 1947. Thompson's (Locality : Kaihere). —Area, 102 acres. Possession date, 24th November, 1944. Single-unit dairy-farm. Has been milked on wages during the past two seasons by an ex-serviceman, and it is expected that his charges will be fixed in July, 1948. Work carried out included the construction of 17£ chains of drains, the erection of 7 chains of new fencing, and widening and deepening 58| chains of drains. TikoJcopu (Locality: Helensville). Area, 4,600 acres. Possession date, 9th February, 1945. Subdivision (provisional), seven dairy and six sheep farms. About 300 acres of new grass has been sown this year and a further 250 acres is being prepared for sowing in 1949.

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